When Will McDonald’s Bring Back the Beloved McRib?

The rabid, post-Apocalyptic McRib frenzy that typically infects the American population each fall season around Halloween, is going to be pushed back this year.

When can you expect to enjoy it?

McDonald's is apparently in no ho, ho hurry because it will return the popular treat to menus around Christmas.

That’s because McDonald’s has decided to keep the nation waiting for the McRib until mid-December in hopes of pushing sales for the month up to or above those experienced in December of 2011, when the company saw a nearly 10 percent increase due to the most pleasant winters in years.

That’s an ambitious number to try to beat, especially considering the winter months are typically indicative of the slow season.

However, McDonald’s is intent on pushing the pork-cult-classic off into the hearts and mouths of more of the same McFanatics that helped to boost the McRib into legendary status in 2010, wanting to establish a more loyal, widespread following for the rib shaped pork product.

Still, industry experts are suspicious of McDonald’s shift in marketing, because they say it is very rare for major changes like this to occur this close to the fourth, and most important, quarter on the business calendar.

Some analysts say this swift change of plan is reason to believe that McDonald’s has its back against the wall in trying to find ways to achieve acceptable fourth quarter earnings.

McDonald’s appears to be reaching for record breaking numbers, as the restaurant chain also has two new products scheduled to be released this fall: the Cheddar Bacon Onion Angus burger and a Cheddar Bacon Onion chicken sandwich, which are rumored to be part of the companies newly revised “limited time offer” philosophy that it intends to beef up in coming years.

The McRib is expected to be phased out in January in order to make room for another new limited-time offer release in February: Fish McBites.